Finding Factors and Common Factors
Being able to find factors and common factors is an important skill that shows up in a number of areas of mathematics. Students use factors to recognize prime and composite…
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Volume, From the Ground Up
Take a look at the figure below. How many cubes is it made of? A student might answer 16. Can you figure out why? If you look closely, there are…
Too Much Glue: A Fun Math Journal Mini Lesson
As you’re planning for the new school year (or maybe you’re one of the lucky ones still enjoying summer!), you’re probably thinking about how you’ll introduce math journals. One of…
Reasoning About Decimal Multiplication and Division
Multiplying and dividing decimals can be tricky for students, but it’s often not for the reason we think. Once they know the algorithm, the computation is really just like dividing…
Comparing Teen Numbers using Place Value
Comparing numbers is much more than deciding which numeral is larger. Students need to understand why one number is greater than, less than, or equal to another. That understanding begins…
Building Mathematical Communication from the First Day of School
One of the most important things we do at the beginning of the school year is establish the expectation that students will communicate their mathematical thinking. Learning mathematics is a…
FREE Ten Frame Placemat with Number Sense Routines
Ten frames are one of the most versatile math tools you’ll use in the primary classroom. They’re perfect for helping students develop fluency with number combinations and making ten, but…
Fast Five—Unleashing the Power of Ten Frames
Why Ten Frames Are So Effective Ten frames are powerful tools for helping students develop number sense, but their effectiveness depends on how they’re used. More than a way to…
Part/Whole Thinking for Fractions in Second Grade
Fractions are often one of the most challenging concepts students encounter in elementary mathematics. That’s why the elementary standards are carefully designed to build fraction understanding over several years, beginning…
